Summer ’10

WIN tickets to see Simply Red on the Chase!

Cannock Chase Council’s award-winning newsletter

InsideCommunity Safety Special

blue bins are coming!

The

Find out more inside

2

Story 1Welcome to the summer edition of Chase Matters.

From this edition, we’ve made a few changes to your magazine. Firstly, instead of the usual two editions each year, there will now be four editions of Chase Matters – in June, September, December and March. This will enable us to bring you even more news, events and updates on the many services we provide for you.

Secondly, Chase Matters is now being paid for by advertising, which means savings for council tax payers. Finally, we’ve worked on a new look to the magazine to pack in as much information for you as we can.

We’d love to hear your views on Chase Matters - please send an email to communications@cannockchasedc.gov.uk

In March we also launched Chase Matters Extra, a special online extra that’s delivered to inboxes instead of letterboxes. Please send an email to the address above if you haven’t signed up.

Inside this edition of Chase Matters is a four-page Community Safety Special where you can fi nd out what we’re doing withour partners to tackle anti-social behaviour. There’s also other community safety news and contacts.

Have a great summer, Stephen Brown

Welcome Contents Chief Executive’s

6 Your council tax bill - value for money

We’re helping young people into work

Leisure round-up

7

10 - 11

2009/10 - our key achievements

12

Our packed programme of summer events and activities

14-15

All information is correct at time of going to print.

se send an email

unity withotherr

14-15

REPORT FLYTIPPINGAnyone who reports fl ytipping to us will now be in line for a £100 reward if the information leads to a successful prosecution.

know...Did you

We dealt with 639 reported incidents of fl ytipping in 2009/10 – that’s more than one incident every single day. It cost us around £30,000 to clean up – money that could be

better spent on other Council services.

We are now getting even tougher on irresponsible dog owners. From 1st April, new Dog Control Orders saw the Fixed Penalty Notice for failing to clear up after a dog rise from £50 to £75. Failure to pay could result in prosecution and a fi ne of up to £1,000 at magistrates’ court.

DIRTY DOG OWNERS

The new Dog Control Orders also give us extra powers to deal with strays. The Orders make it an offence for a dog to be off the lead on a footpath or verge next to a road - £75 Fixed Penalty Notice came into force on 1st April. The owner of any dog found straying will receive a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice, as well as having to pay kennelling and collection costs, plus veterinary bills.

Our environmental enforcement offi cers carry out patrols at known hotspots across the District. If you are aware of particular problems in your area, email us at environmentalhealth@cannockchasedc.gov.uk or call 01543 462621.

Bigger fi nes for

Responsible dog owner Sarah Richardsfrom Hednesford - pictured with her pet Rocky - has backed our tough stance on dirty dog owners. She said:“There’s nothing worse than pavements or playing fi elds covered in dog mess. I really don’t understand why people don’t clean it up - it only takes a minute. I hope the higher Fixed Penalty Notices will make people think hard about doing the right thing. We’ve all got to be on the look-out for anyone who doesn’t clear up after their pet - and report it to the Council.”

ders s to ders dog otpath - ce came e owner of any dog found straying

Penalty Notice as well as having to

know...Did you

Since September 2009 we

have issued 41 Fixed Penalty

Notices to dog owners who

failed to clear up after

their pets.

Improving the cleanliness of the local environment is one of our top priorities - and dog owners who fail to clear up after their pets is a major concern for residents. Dog fouling that is not cleared away is not only unsightly and anti-social but can pose serious health risks, especially to young children.

Environment

We have a zero-tolerance approach to fl ytipping and always prosecute when we have enough evidence - but we need your help to make sure the fl ytippers don’t get away with it.

If you see anyone fl ytipping, make a note of the time and date, location, description of waste tipped, vehicle registration number and, if possible,

a description of the fl ytippers themselves. Call us on 01543 462621 to report the environmental crime.

If everyone made sure they only gave their waste to licensed carriers, the amount of fl ytipping would reduce dramatically. Call the Environment Agency on 08708 506506 to fi nd out if a tradesman is a licensed waste carrier.

You could be in trouble if you give waste to an unlicensed waste carrier which is then fl ytipped - and you could be hit with

a £5,000 maximum fi ne at magistrates’ court. It’s worth checking!

Flytipping is offensive, illegal and blights our area. The maximum fi ne at magistrates’ court for a fl ytipping offence is £50,000 and up to fi ve years in prison.

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blue bins The

Children from local primary schools transformed blue wheelie bins into aliens to help us promote the big switchover.

Out of this

worldols transformed blue wwheelie

know...Did you

In 2005/06, under a quarter of the District’s waste was recycled or composted. In 2009/10, this had more than doubled to around 52%* - an amazing

achievement. Well done!*April - September 2009

There’s been a green revolution in Cannock Chase District over the last few years.

Now we want to go even further!Last year we carried out trials across the District to fi nd out if blue wheelie bins would increase our recycling efforts. The answer was a resounding yes!

Environment

Your blue box is growing up into a blue bin!

blue wheelie bins would inanswer was a resounding

The blue bins make it so much easier to recycle - all dry recyclables like plastic, glass and newspaper go into the blue bin together. They’re sorted later at the waste processing plant using the latest technology.

Your collection day will remain the same. Simply put your new blue bin out for collection instead of your box and bag.

Blue wheelie bins will now be replacing boxes and bags across the District - and we’ll be delivering these to you in July, August and September. You should have received aninformation booklet containing your new recycling calendar - if you haven’t, please let us know!

bins into aliens to help

They used recyclable materials to create their aliens and their efforts were truly out of this world, so a huge thank you to everyone for making the competition such a success. All the aliens now feature in a huge 50ft-long window display in Cannock Shopping Centre.

The winning school was Moorhill Primary in Cannock, whose big-tongued alien certainlyimpressed the judges.

4

know...Did you

Our waste and recyclingservice is the lowest costing per head in

the whole of Staffordshire

are coming! Want to fi nd out more?

Roadshows will be held across the District as we roll out your new blue bins. Pop along for more information and to chat to our Recycling Offi cer.

10th July - ASDA, Cannock14th August - Hednesford town centre and the Museum of Cannock Chase, Valley Road, Hednesford 18th September - Cannock town centre

Log on to our website at www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/bluebin for more information and answers to some frequently asked questions. Alternatively, email wasteservice@cannockchasedc.gov.uk or call us on 01543 462621.

We’re recycling more!Ian and Heidi Hughes from Hednesford took part in the blue bin trials last year – and are delighted that the scheme is being rolled out across the District.

Heidi said: “It’s so convenient to put all the recycling that previously went into our blue box and bag into one container. We’re defi nitely recycling more since taking part in the trial. It’s great not to have to lug the box and bag to the front of the house. They often used to tip up on the road, which made a real mess. This doesn’t happen with the new blue bin.”

Extra support is top notchAlong with our new blue wheelie bins, we’ve also introduced a new system to help blind or partially-sighted residents identify which bin is for which type of waste.

Following guidance from the Royal National Institute for the Blind, any new standard sized bins will have ‘notches’ of plastic removed from the lid. The green bin will have a notch removed on either side of the lid front. The brown bin will have a notch removed just on the left, and the new blue bin just on the right. As soon as current stocks of the smaller (140 litre) and larger (360 litre) bins run out we’ll introduce the same notch code on the new stock.

Environment

5

Winter Opening TimesMon - Tues ClosedWed - Sun 9am - 4:30pm

Summer Opening TimesMon - Tues ClosedWed - Fri 9am - 6pmSat - Sun 9am - 5pm

Cannock Poplars Landfi ll Site, Lichfield Road, Cannock WS11 8NQ

Winter Opening TimesMon - Tues 9am - 4:30pmWed - Thu ClosedFri - Sun 9am - 4:30pm

Summer Opening TimesMon Tues & Fri 9am - 6pmWed - Thur ClosedSat - Sun 9am - 5pm

Rugeley - Station Road Site, Station Road, Rugeley WS15 2HE

Winter opening times start when the clocks go back in Autumn. Summer opening times start when the clocks go forward in Spring.

Bank Holiday Opening Times for both Recycling CentresOpen 9am - 5pmClosed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s DayLo

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In March, we set the budget for the 2010/11 fi nancial year. Our portion of your council tax bill saw a rise of just 8½ pence per week for the average household.

Who spends your council tax?Your council tax bill is actually made up of charges from ourselves, Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Police Authority and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Fire Authority. A further charge is included from parish councils.

This is how your council tax bill is spent:

Council Tax

Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Fire Authority - 5%

Parish councils (average) - 1%

Staffordshire County Council -

69%

Cannock Chase Council -

13%

Staffordshire Police Authority -

12%

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PPararish co((average)

Staffordshire e County CoCounccilil --

6699%%%

CanCannocnock Ck Chash e Council -

131313%%%

StaffordPololP icei Aut

12%

What do you get from us?You may know that we are responsible for emptying your bins and sorting recycling. But there is so much more!Whether you are swimming at our leisure centres, seeing a show at the Prince of Wales Centre, building an extension, taking part in a fun activity at the Museum of Cannock Chase, walking in one of our parks or Local Nature Reserves, applying for Council Tax or Housing Benefi t, shopping in a town centre market or reporting a noise nuisance, we are responsible for delivering that service. And lots, lots more!

Many of you had your say on the 2010-11 budget by completing our online consultation questionnaire. Around 60 members of our Citizens’ Panel also took part in a special event at the Civic Centre. Many thanks for your views.

Every penny we receive from your council tax bill is spent directly on the important services we provide. That is why we have a tough approach to Council Tax and Housing Benefi t fraud. This takes money directly from the Council - with the bill being picked up by council tax payers.

The vast majority of claimants are genuine - but there are some who are prepared to defraud the system and steal from us all. In fact, our counter-fraud team uncovered over £80,000 of incorrectly paid benefi ts in the last fi nancial year.

We want everyone who is entitled to claim benefi ts - but we also want to stop those people who are defrauding the system.

If you suspect that someone is committing benefi t fraud, please let us know. Call our Benefi t Fraud Hotline free on 0800 980 7380 or email investigations@cannockchasedc.gov.uk You can also let us know via our website at www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk All information is dealt with in the strictest confi dence. If you like, you can remain anonymous.

Benefi t fraud

Value for money

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of you had your say on the 2010-11

know...Did you

We receive 13p from every pound you pay in council tax. This money goes towards funding the wide range

of services that we provide for you.

Turn to Page 12 to

see some of our

key achievements

over the last

12 months.

6

back into workHelping you to stay in your homeProviding effective advice to help people stay in their homes and avoid homelessness has never been more important. We’ve set up a fast-track advice scheme with Chase Citizens’ Advice Bureau to help residents who are facing homelessness because of debt. The service is available to everyone, whether you’re renting or own your home.We can book you an appointment with the CAB within seven days of assessing your situation. So far, 39 people have accessed vital money advice under the fast track system. The fast-track service can only be accessed via a referral from our Housing Options Team. Please give them a call on 01543 462621. Don’t ignore your problems - help and support is available.

We’ve further shown our commitment to helping local unemployed people back into work by signing a Local Employment Partnership agreement with Jobcentre Plus. The agreement includes specifi c measures to help support local people into work, including work trials and mentoring.

One of our main commitments is to secure local jobs for local people. The Local Employment Partnership is a signifi cant milestone which demonstrates our commitment to achieving local jobs for local people. By working closely with Jobcentre Plus, we can open up more opportunities for local unemployed people.

Gateway to the futureIn March we signed a development agreement with St Modwen for the Hednesford Gateway scheme. This paves the way for the most signifi cant regeneration projects in Hednesford’s history.Subject to planning approval and following the demolition of the ATP factory on Victoria Street, a new 80,000 sq ft foodstore will be built on the Victoria Street phase of the Gateway scheme. ATP will relocate to an alternative site later this year.The scheme – covering both regeneration sites on Victoria Street and Rugeley Road – also includes 48,000 sq ft of non-food retail space, a 17,500 sq ft discount foodstore, new community facilities and a new 648-space car park. In Rugeley, Tesco submitted a planning application in February to build a new supermarket on the former Celcon factory site on Power Station Road.

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David Aird, aged 21, from Cannock

We’re helping young people

After leaving Cannock Chase High School, David went to Stafford College and studied sport and exercise. He said: “I worked in betting shops for a couple of years. After fi nding myself out of work I applied for lots of jobs but wasn’t really getting anywhere. Working at the museum has been a really good experience and I’ve been doing a customer service course with South Staffordshire College as well. I mostly work on reception at the museum. It’s been a really good preparation to get back into work.”

After leaving school with no qualifi cations, Simon Baugh struggled to fi nd a job. Unfortunately, with no success, he drifted into unemployment. The recession made it even harder for Simon to fi nd work.

Thanks to a new scheme, we’re helping Simon and 30 other young people back into work. We’re working to tackle youth unemployment in the District by providing young people with work placements at the Council. We’ve used funding from central government’s Future Jobs Fund to employ 31 young people aged between 18 and 24 who have been unemployed for at least six months.

Simon - aged 19 and from Norton Canes - and all our other trainees are gaining vital work experience with us, with a mentor to guide and support them. They’re also receiving training and support from South Staffordshire College. Simon, pictured below, is working as a general trade operative - he’s doing lots of bricklaying, tiling and other housing maintenance work. Other trainees are working across the Council in parks, leisure and other areas.

Simon said: “I love working for the Council. It’s been great to meet new people and to get some work experience. I’m now retaking my Maths and English GCSEs, as well as studying for an NVQ in General Construction. I feel very positive about the future. I know what I want to do as a career and my experience with the Council will really help me to achieve my goals.”

More young people will be taking up trainee posts with us for the second phase of the project. Young people who are eligible to apply for trainee positions are referred to us by Jobcentre Plus. Contact your local Jobcentre Plus for more information.We are also hoping to create a small number of apprenticeships - creating more opportunities for young people in the District.

Your community

for local peopleLocal jobs

7

We’re using Twitter to send out regular messages to everyone who has signed up for updates. It’s a mixture of news, events and pictures from around the District that’s proving to be a winning mix.

You can get started on Twitter by signing up at www.twitter.com

Some good people to follow to get you started:@CannockChaseDC - updates, news, events and pictures from Cannock Chase Council@HednesfordTC - news from Hednesford Town Council@bbcbreaking - breaking news from the BBC@staffordshirecc - updates, news and events from Staffordshire County Council@staffspolice - updates and news from Staffordshire Police@stoketraffi c - traffi c news and accident alerts covering the whole of Staffordshire

TM

Stephen Fry, Jimmy Carr and even Barack Obama are at it. It seems as though you can’t quite escape from Twitter these days.

It’s great for celebrities to let you know what they’re having for breakfast. But that’s about it really, isn’t it?

Well, actually, no. It’s a good chance for people to catch up on all sorts of things from breaking news headlines around the world to what your football team is up to and what your friends are doing. With more than 20 million users, there’s bound to be people out there you have things in common with.

Reach every household

Call Sandra Richards

on 01543 464388

or email sandrarichards@cannockchasedc.gov.uk

Cannock Chase District -

in

advertise in

8

time!

What does anti-social behaviour mean to you? Gangs on the streets, maybe drinking or acting in a threatening manner? This is certainly the media face of anti-social behaviour but anti-social behaviour can take many forms, not just the headline-grabbing kind. Regardless of where we live, we’ve all experienced it at one time or another and we can all do something about it.

our commitment to you

If you see or experience anti-social behaviour please tell us so we can take

immediate action. There are a number of ways you can do this:• Call your local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0300 123 4455 • If you are the tenant of a social landlord (the council or a housing association) and the problems are outside your home or on your estate, report it to your landlord • Call Cannock Chase Council’s 24-hour anti-social behaviour hotline on 01543 462621

Anti-social behaviour -

www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk

SPECIAL

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know...Did you

Incidents of anti-social behaviour

dropped by 36 per cent in our District

from December 2009 to February

2010 compared to the same

three-month period 12 months

ago. Putting it another

way, this is 468

fewer victims.

• Report it online at www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk • Call Crimestoppers anonymously with information about anti-social behaviour and crime on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org• If the situation is an emergency (if someone’s life or health is threatened) call 999.

An Anti-Social Behaviour Pledge leafl et should be inside your copy of Chase Matters. If it’s gone missing, you can read the full pledge at www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk Remember - don’t live with it. Report it!

There are many forms of anti-social behaviour, from nuisance neighbours and fl ytipping to aggressive begging and dealing or buying drugs on the street.

The important thing is that TOGETHER we can do something about it. We recently produced our Anti-Social Behaviour Pledge - this is our commitment to you. It spells out how we are tackling anti-social behaviour and how you can report it to us. We’re working hard with other organisations like the police and fi re service to address anti-social behaviour.

Your local police and council working together to keep your community safe.

tackling

We know that anti-social behaviour is one of your top priorities. So what are we doing about it? Here’s just some of our current work that is all designed to make the District a safer place.

In March we were given the right to evict one of our tenants from Chadsmoor. Neighbours’ lives had been made a misery by frequent anti-social behaviour from the tenant and his family.

Inside the property, doors had been smashed, fl oorboards torn up, brickwork exposed and graffi ti sprayed across internal walls.

We worked closely with Staffordshire Police to apply for a possession order from the county court.

We always take all reasonable steps to sort problems out. But if all else fails, we do apply to the courts to repossess a property.

As a responsible social landlord, we play an important role in working with our tenants, the police and other services to protect communities from anti-social behaviour - and to stop some of it happening in the fi rst place.

We’re anti-soCommunity Safety

Nuisance neighbours in the spotlight There are certain parts of the District that suffer

from anti-social behaviour more than others. We’ve agreed to give extra powers to Staffordshire Police to tackle anti-social behaviour in these hotspots.

Police offi cers now have additional powers until 19th September in an area of Hednesford to take action against anyone acting or likely to act in an anti-social manner. Also, anyone under the age of 16 who is in those areas between 9pm and 6am without a responsible adult (and is acting or likely to act in an anti-social manner) can be taken home or to another place of safety.The huge majority of young people are not involved in anti-social behaviour of any kind. However, a small minority in this part of Hednesford are a concern and the new Section 30 Order gives us another power to address their behaviour.

Visit www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk to see the boundaries of the Section 30 Order in Hednesford. We’re continuing to monitor anti-social behaviour hotspots across the District and will grant more Section 30 Orders where appropriate.

Trouble hotspots targeted

It’s all about

Each school has worked on one specifi c subject area, producing DVDs, posters and information leafl ets which will be used to spread the Respect message across the District.

The Respect project aims to tackle anti-social behaviour and highlight the consequences of at-risk behaviour.

These were also highlighted in theatre performances in Cannock Park recently. Over 500 people - including many youngsters - saw performances of ‘Park Strife’. Search for ‘Cannock Respect’ on YouTube to see our Respect videos.

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You may remember the fantastic mural that youngsters from across the District worked on last summer. The mural, which was commissioned to celebrate the centenary of the fi rst step in the creation of Cannock Park, was also the fi rst step in the Respect project.

Part two of Respect has taken us into schools, where we’ve been talking to students about alcohol abuse, vandalism and graffi ti and substance misuse. Students from Cannock Chase, Norton Canes, Fair Oak Business & Enterprise College, Cardinal Griffi n and Blake Valley and the Chaselea Pupil Referral Unit are helping us to develop the Respect toolkit.

2

For victims or witnesses of anti-social behaviour the thought of reporting what’s happened can often be daunting.

That’s why we’re now working with Staffordshire Victim Support to offer help and practical support where needed to anyone reporting an incident of anti-social behaviour.

social behaviourCommunity Safety

countsSupport where it

A group of residents are helping us tackle and prevent anti-social behaviour in their role as community ambassadors.

The Cannock Chase Resident Champions programme has seen 20 active residents from across the District take part in special training to give them a knowledge of the key tools and powers for tackling anti-social behaviour.

Resident champions

School’s out and scores of young people head into town - but what are they going to do when they get there? Our Street Wardens have the answer - the youth café at the bandstand, near Church Street, in Cannock town centre.

The café is open Monday to Friday between 4pm and 6pm and is the ideal place for young people to meet up with friends. It’s a safe and supervised environment with our Street Wardens and police offi cers always on hand.

Youth cafe

ats why were now working with Staffordshire im Support to offer help and practical port where needed nyone reporting ncident of -socialaviour.

know...Did you

We have an Anti-Social Behaviour Focus Group? The group meets regularly and members - including many residents from across the District - help us to deliver services and initiatives in this area. Call 01543 462621 to get involved.

Operation MatrixWe’re working closely with Staffordshire Police on Operation Matrix to address alcohol-fuelled ASB and under-age drinking.

A team of police offi cers and our Street Wardens tour hotspot areas in a high-visibility police vehicle from 6pm up to midnight - and sometimes into the early hours. Any children found in possession of alcohol or under the infl uence of alcohol are returned home to their parent or guardian. Pictured is Street Warden Kitty Leach, far left, with police offi cers and alcohol support workers on a recent patrol in Rugeley.

Your local police and council working together to keep your community safe.

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Vandalised and graffi ti-ridden play areas could soon be a thing of the past after the success of Ravenhill Park’s play area in Brereton. The play area at the Green Flag-winning park has been commended by the Association of Chief Police Offi cers and has received a Secured by Design award for ‘designing out crime’ through its standards of physical security and layout.

Play area proves to be tough on crime

It’s good to talk“

“

Neighbourhood disputes and squabbles can easily get out of hand. That’s why we’ve called in Wolverhampton Mediation Service to help in cases of disputes over anti-social behaviour.

The mediation team already has a number of successes under its belt, including sorting out noise nuisance in Braemar Road, Norton Canes, and halting shouting and abusive language in Newman Grove, Rugeley.

Mediation isn’t appropriate in every situation, obviously. But it can help to nip problems in the bud before they become more serious.

3

Safer nights

Please make sure you play your part by following these top tips:• Drink responsibly: don’t drink too much too quickly• Never leave your drink unattended• If you’re out with friends, nominate a driver who’s not drinking alcohol or make sure you’ve enough money for a bus or taxi.• Don’t drink and drive.

Neighbourhood Watch 01543 464218

Victim Support Staffordshire - give free and confi dential help to victims of crime, their family, friends and anyone else affected.0845 521 2300 | www.victimsupport.org.uk

Witness Service Cannock - The Witness Service aims to assist both prosecution and defence witnesses who are called to give evidence by providing information, practical help and emotional support during the trial process.01543 573164

Addaction - The UK’s largest drug and alcohol treatment charity.01543 577703 | www.addaction.org.uk

Adsis (Alcohol and Dependency Specialists) - OPEN ACCESS get help with your own drinking or if you are affected by someone else’s alcohol use. Call 08445 617 079 if you would like further information. www.adsis.org.uk

Cannock Chase Council - Flytipping, abandoned vehicles, noise, pollution; ASB 24 hour hotline - To report anti-social behaviour01543 462621 | www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk

Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service01785 898105 | www.staffordshirefi re.gov.uk

Staffordshire Police (non-emergencies) - For non-emergency calls and general enquiries 0300 123 4455 | Call 999 FOR EMERGENCIES

Crimestoppers - call anonymously with information about crime 0800 555111 | www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Cannock Chase Council Street Wardens - The Street Wardens Scheme is a community based project aimed at providing a reassuring presence on the ground throughout the District.01543 437430

ASB Victim / Witness Champion (Oliver Greatbatch) - Provides a comprehensive and quality support and outreach service to victims and witnesses of ASB.01543 464 477 | 07938 487 564

Con

tact

s Staffordshire Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service - provides fl exible, high quality, confi dential treatment and support services for adults and young people that meet the needs of local communities.01785 241393

Staffordshire Young People’s Service - The aim of SYPS is to engage with you, helping you get involved in positive activities and empowering you to help shape the services you receive. 01785 278782

Staffordshire Women’s Aid - Living with domestic abuse can make you feel isolated, but you are not alone. Staffordshire Women’s Aid support women and children living with, escaping, or recovering from domestic violence / abuse, which may be physical, sexual, fi nancial or emotional. Staffordshire Women’s Aid can support you while you consider your options. 0870 2700 123

Staffordshire Trading Standards - responsible for enforcing a wide range of legislation relating to the supply and distribution of goods and services.01785 277888

In May we organised a big community clean-up with Staffordshire Police and the fi re service for the Springfi elds estate in Rugeley. Residents got involved and environmental improvements were made.

Our Street Wardens supervised a team of low-level offenders who worked on the project as part of their payback to the community. The project will be heading for more communities across the District soon.payback to the ffoforr momom re comm

Our three town centres are a vital part of our District. They’re a place to shop,

relax and unwind and they’re among the safest in the county. We’re determined to keep it that way - especially at night.

We work closely with Staffordshire Police and our other partners on the Safer Nights initiative to make our town centres as safe as possible.

As the District’s licensing authority we license pubs, taxi drivers and other businesses that operate in the night-time economy - always taking public safety into account.

We monitor all three town centres from our CCTV control centre in the District - 24 hours a day. Our employees play a major role in the Storenet and Pubwatch schemes by working closely with town centre police offi cers and businesses.

Our town centres are particularly busy on summer nights - even more so this year with the World Cup about to kick off. We want everyone to enjoy nights out - and we’re working hard with the police to keep you safe and reassured.

Summer crime top tipsThe chance of becoming a victim of crime in our District is low. But installing a few simple security measures can further reduce the risk and make the District an even safer place to live.

Here are top tips to help you secure sheds and garages:• Never leave garage or shed doors unlocked• Fit strong padlocks to shed or garage doors and make sure they are strong enough not to be kicked in• Consider using multi-point locking systems on garage doors, hinge bolts or external bollards• If you have a ladder, lock it in the garage or shed. If you don’t have space, chain or padlock it to something secure• Secure all garden items - they could be used by a burglar• Use independent shed alarms if possible.

Community SafetyJUSTICESEENJUSTICEDONE

4

The museum galleries have changed hugely over the years to meet the demands of visitors, especially families. There’s a Toys Gallery with an interactive play area and Coal Mining Gallery with mock coal mine. The museum is a popular destination for school visits - since 1998, more than 88,000 children have taken part in educational visits.The museum hosts art exhibitions and touring exhibitions and has a cafe and shop.

There are also superb facilities for local businesses to hold meetings. Thousands of families take part in popular art and craft activities during the school holidays - many of them not costing a penny. Admission to the museum as a whole is free as well.For more information, visit www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/museum or call 01543 877666.

The echanyyearoof visTTherinteraMininicocoal

In May 1989 our museum opened its doors for the fi rst time on the site of the former Valley Colliery in Hednesford. Over the last 21 years it has grown into the award-winning attraction that thousands of you visit every year.

10

ave e dslies. th an Coal ck s r 8, n tional visits.The museum hosts art xhibitions and has a cafe and shop.

Modernisation ofChase Leisure Centre

Leisure

All the electrical and mechanical systems will be replaced at the modernised Chase Leisure Centre. Space for spectators would be increased by 60 to 230 and the existing teaching pool would be refurbished.

The artist’s impression above gives an idea of what the modernised Chase Leisure Centre could look like from the outside.

Planning permission has been granted for our plans and key partners including an architect and quantity surveyor have been selected.

Parts of the existing Chase Leisure Centre, including the 33.3m pool, were built in 1974 and - after 36 years - are starting to show their age! We hope the revamped leisure centre can be delivered for you in 2012.

We’ve submitted a bid to Sport England for £500,000 to fund a moveable fl oor and boom in the pool. If this bid is successful, it will transform the existing pool into a six-lane, 25m competition facility with variable depth pool. A new changing village will be created by the pool and a 150-station, state-of-the-art fi tness suite with its own dedicated changing rooms will be established.

Proposals and plans are in place to modernise and improve the facilities at Chase Leisure Centre in Cannock. One of our top priorities is to increase participation in sport and physical activity and help everyone in the District to improve their health. Modern, top-class facilities are a vital part of this.

Our Play Rangers work across the District providing free play opportunities for young people, often in our parks. They’ll now be heading into the forest as well!

sport is for allAccess to

If you go down to the woods today!

Leisure

Families on the Bevan Lee estate in Cannock will soon have a new play area after we secured £48,000 from the Staffordshire Playbuilder Programme.

on the wayplay area

New

Over £16,000 of external funding from the Staffordshire 0-7 Pilot has seen our Play Rangers gain Forest Schools qualifi cations. The money has also enabled us to buy lots of extra play equipment for den building and other activities in the forest.The Forest Schools initiative encourages young people to appreciate their natural environment - and to have lots of fun in it!

The current play area will be replaced by top-of-the-range adventure play equipment suitable for eight to 13-year-olds.

Families on the estate helped us to plan and design the new play area at a series of events organised by our Play Rangers and the estate’s community development worker. As you can see below, children even produced a model to show us exactly what they wanted!

Children will also be working with our Arts Development Offi cer and professional artists to produce artwork that will be built into the new play area. Everything will be ready by March next year.

We want all children to take part in sport and exercise. This year, we want to allow young people with disabilities or health issues even more opportunities to take part in our Chase It! programme. We’ve secured £35,000 of external funding from ‘Aiming High’ to help us do just this.We already support disabled young people with trampoline classes, football sessions, pictured above, and other activity clubs. The ‘Aiming High’ funding will enable us to do lots more. Call the Sports Development team on 01543 462621 for more information.

We’ve been running our Chase It! activity programme for young people since 2001 and it’s been a huge success. Thousands of youngsters have met our Chase It team, taken part in leisure centre day camps during school holidays, played football in our parks or enjoyed fun days out at places like Go Ape! and Alton Towers.

11

Healthier Communities, Housing and Older People

We provided over 600 pairs of slippers to elderly and vulnerable residents at Slipper Swap Shops. These were aimed at preventing slips and trips at home. We carried out over 350 food hygiene inspections to ensure that food premises meet the required standards and protect your health. We completed the Bevan Lee redevelopment providing 128 new homes in the DistrictWe carried out around 15,000 repairs to our housing stock - over 40 a day! 326 housing allocations were made using our Uchoose housing system, increasing choice for those wanting social housing.We refi tted over 300 kitchens and 280 central heating systems to our housing stock.

We have been hard at work with our partners to provide the services you, your family and friends use every day. We look to provide the things that really make a difference to you at home, at work and at play. Here are just some of the things we’ve done over the last year listed against our Corporate priorities.

Environmental SustainabilityCannock Park, Ravenhill Park and Castle Ring were all awarded Green Flag status, ensuring a pleasant and safe environment for all park users now and in the future.With your help we have increased the rate of recycling to 52%* of all the waste we collect, thereby reducing the amount we have to send to landfi ll.

Children, Young People and Families

Over 700 children and young people attended the Fair Play project held in Cannock Park Over 4,000 young people took part in our Chase It! programmes designed to tackle a range of social issues through sport, physical and other leisure activity.Over 50,000 people visited the Museum of Cannock Chase, taking advantage of the large number of learning and play activities on offer. We ran 133 physical activity sessions for young people with access issues. Over 4,700 participants took part!Up to the end of April, 53,471 under-16s and 21,828 over-60s free swims have taken place, helping residents to get more active.

Safe, Strong and Cohesive CommunitiesWith our partners we continued to deliver the night-time economy project which has seen a reduction in violent crime and anti-social behaviour in the District’s town centres (see Community Safety Special)Through the ‘Safe as Houses’ scheme we have helped to keep 33 victims of domestic violence safe in their homes from repeat attacks.We successfully worked with partners to reduce the number of ‘drive off’ crimes from petrol stations. Numbers have fallen signifi cantly following our awareness campaign and work with local petrol stations.

Access to Education, Skills and Employment

We redesigned the Visit Cannock Chase website to provide tourists with more information in the District and boost tourist numbers and increaseinvestment. Log on to www.visitcannockchase.co.ukWe provided 31 temporary jobs through the Future Jobs Fund, giving young people the opportunity to gain skills, experience and a start in work.

, gople

er 600 s to erable per

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me. over 350spections to ensure es meet the required standards

EEEEnnvCaafu

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12

Delivering for youYour Council

*April - September 2009

systems to our housing stock.

1221

Over the coming year, we will continue to work hard to achieve our priorities for local communities. So whether you swim in our pools, use your local park, or want your bins emptying, we provide the services you need every day!

Don’t miss our

A-Z of Services in

the September

edition of

Chase Matters

Corporate ImprovementThrough a successful bid to the Connecting Communities fund, a pilot project in Etching Hill and the Heath has been set up to enable the community to have a greater involvement in tackling local issues.

Furniture Reuse Service

Community Transport Service

Do you fi nd it diffi cult to attend hospital or doctor appointments due to reduced mobility and lack of transport? Our service may be able to help.Thanks to the support of Volunteer drivers fees are only charged for running costs and will vary dependent the distance travelled.If you require transport or if you are interested in becoming a volunteer driver contact: Joanne 01889 584843

Working with Cannock Chase Council and Birmingham City University the Connecting Communities Co-ordinator will support the resident champions, once recruited, of Etching Hill and The Heath to infl uence local decision making. Contact Philippa: 07961 444166

Chase Council for Voluntary Service

Have you ever thought about becoming a volunteer? Volunteering is something thateveryone can do. Whatever your interests, wherever you live,whether you have a lot of time or just a little, there is an opportunity waiting for you so why not contact us today!For more information contact:Kelsey, Jane or Lucy 01543 500404 or text 07758 481088

Our main functions are:• Development of both new and existing voluntary groups• Support of local groups including advice, information and offi ce services• Representation of local voluntary and community group views at local and central government levels• Liaison between the sector and statutory agencies by the development of networking opportunities and forums• Partnership support by developing key partnerships in the Cannock Chase district and encouraging the sector to become involved.

Offi ce Hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-4.30pm Friday 9am-4pmTel: 01543 500404 Fax: 01543 500406 Email: enquiries@chase-cvs.org.uk

Registered as a Company Limited byGuarantee in England & Wales.Reg. No. 5589693 Registered Offi ceCVS Buildings, Arthur Street, Chadsmoor, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 5HDCharity registration No. 1113065

collects furniture that is suitable for reuse and makes it available at their Unit in Hawks Green Cannock to anyone in need of essential items..If you have any furniture available or if you are in need of essential items due to diffi cult circumstances then why not give a call on 01543 467555

Cannock ChaseVolunteer Centre

CommunityLink Team

The Team provide a variety of free fun activities and training opportunities; many of which provide a crèche to help with your childcare needs. Venues include: Cannock Chase Children’s Centre,Huntington Community Centre, Chase CVS and Western Springs Primary School. If you are looking to update your qualifi cations, learn a new skill, seeking work or volunteering opportunities or simply wish to meet new people the Team would be happy to hear from you, contact: Chris, Tina or Jo 01543 578977

Community Liaison Service

We aim to support vulnerable people, within the Chadsmoor area, by raising awareness of the full range of services available to them. A neighbourhood network has been formulated to enable groups that provide activities and services within the locality to work in partnership. Find out about the service and how it can help your group by contacting: Caroline 01543 500404

Connecting Communities

Working withWorking with Social Care & Health

Working withWorking with

Green Spaces

Last year, three of our parks and green spaces won prestigious Green Flag Awards - a huge achievement.

Flying the fl ag know...Did you

We manage more than 1,000 hectares of parks and green spaces across the District - that’s the

size of about 1,600 football pitches!

Parks and green spaces play a crucial role in communities across the District and we are committed to their continued improvement through good management and investment. The Green Flag Awards are the national standard for green spaces in England and Wales, and they’re the Government’s key mechanism for high standards.

Cannock Park, Ravenhill Park in Brereton and Castle Ring in Cannock Wood have all been re-entered for an award this year - and we’re also hoping that Elmore Park in Rugeley can make it four Green Flags in the District.

We recently launched a series of improvements in Elmore Park. Railings, gates and park furniture were painted; the toilet block, pets’ corner and bridges were refurbished; and new signs and bins for dog waste were installed. Lots of other improvement work was also carried out.

Play RangersOur Play Rangers are out and about across the District offering free play sessions for young people over the summer holidays. Most of the sessions are suitable for fi ve to 13-year-olds, except those marked (0-19), which are for young people up to the age of 19.

July

Monday 26th Brindley Heath Park - 11am - 1pmWestgate Park, Rawnsley - 2 - 4pm

Tuesday 27th Hagley Playing Fields, Rugeley - 11am - 1pm.Asda Park, Avon Road, Cannock (0-19) - 1 - 4pm

Wednesday 28th Hednesford Park - 11am - 1pmCotswolds Park, Hednesford - 2 - 4pm

Thursday 29th Western Springs, Rugeley (0-19) - 1 - 4pm

Friday 30th Bevan Lee Estate, Cannock - 11am - 1pmBettys Lane Park, Norton Canes - 11am - 1pm

August

Tuesday 3rd Kelvin Drive, Chadsmoor (0-19) - 1 - 4pm

Wednesday 4th Hednesford Park - 11am - 1pmCotswolds Park, Hednesford - 2 - 4pm

Thursday 5th Bevan Lee Estate Mini Play Day - 12 - 3pm

Saturday 7th National Play Day - 11am - 4pmFREE day of fun at Hagley playing fi elds, Rugeley Displays, infl atables, early years’ play, activities for teenagers, face painting, balloon modelling, spray artist and much much more.

Tuesday 10th Cannock Park (0-19) - 1 - 4pm

Wednesday 11th Hednesford Park - 11am-1pm Cotswolds Park, Hednesford -2 - 4pm

Thursday 12th Heath Hayes Park - 11am - 1pm Sema Park, Norton Canes - 1 - 4pm

To see the full list of Play Ranger sessions for the whole school summer holiday, log on to www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk orcall Andrea Tunnicliffe on 07989 683501

Community Forums Community forums are your chance to get your questions answered by councillors, senior Council offi cers and our

partners like the police and fi re service. Forums are held regularly across the District, starting at 7pm.

June 15th Cannock Community Forum (Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Beecroft Road, Cannock)

June 16th Rugeley & Brereton Community Forum (Rugeley Rose)

September 7th Rugeley & Brereton Community Forum

September 9th Heath Hayes, Norton Canes & Rawnsley Community Forum

September 14th Cannock Community Forum

September 21st Hednesford Community Forum

Venues for the September forums have yet to be arranged but will be available at www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk soon. To raise a question at one of the September forums, please email democraticservices@cannockchasedc.gov.uk - the deadline for questions is three weeks before the forum. This is to make sure that the right people can bethere to answer your question.

Countryside volunteersJoin our Countryside Service team’s popular Friday volunteer sessions at Local Nature Reserves across the District.

June 11th & 18th Balsam pulling at Mill Green Local Nature Reserve

June 25th Footpath maintenance across all sites

July 2nd Sign installation at Milking Brook Valley

July 9th & 16th Balsam pulling at Mill Green Local Nature Reserve

July 23rd Footpath maintenance at all sites

July 30th Sign installation at Anglesey Park

August 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th Managing our hay meadows

September 3rd & 10th Crassula control at Hawks Green Local Nature Reserve

Volunteers meet at Deavall’s Farm, Hawks Green Lane, Cannock, at 9am on

Friday mornings. For more details, call our Countryside Service team on 01543 450018 or

email countrysideservice@cannockchasedc.gov.uk

Diary

FREE SwimmingIf you’re 16 and under or 60 and over, you

can now swim for FREE at Chase Leisure

Centre in Cannock and Rugeley Leisure

Centre. Thousands of people have signed up

- don’t miss out! Pop into either leisure centre

or log on to www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk

to fi nd out more

14

Find your local

Councillor

Log on to www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk

to fi nd details of your local councillor.

You can even search by your postcode!

Walk a Mile in my Shoes Sunday July 18th - Route to Health, Birches Valley Forest Centre,

Rugeley, 1 - 4pmA family walk at our Route to Health community arts trail.

Drumming workshops, willow weaving, treasure hunts and lots more!

Museum of Cannock Chase

Sunday 1st August 12 - 4pm Free Family Summer Day

Art and craft activities, hands-on demonstrations with museum

guides, displays, workshops, shows and lots more

Wednesday Workshops - Art and craft fun for children

throughout the summer holidays - including lots of FREE

sessions. Keep an eye on our website at

www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/museum for details or call the

museum on 01543 877666

Ladybird Make and Do exhibition - On show until 25th July -

FREE exhibition The exhibition includes material from the

Ladybird archive and includes 24 pieces of original artwork

and plenty of fi rst editions. A must-see for those wanting to

relive the nostalgia of childhood!

Prince of Wales CentreUpcoming ShowsWednesday 16th & Thursday 17th June - Roy Chubby BrownAdult humour.

Friday 18th June - And Finally… Phil Collins Twelve-piece band recreate Phil Collins’ fi nal solo tour from 2004Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th June / Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th July - Annabel Humpage Academy of Dance present Showtime Call the dance school direct on 07971 221973 for tickets to this showFriday 25th June - Halfway to Paradise The original members of Billy Fury’s band Fury’s Tornadoes and Colin GoldSaturday 26th June - The Faces Experience The ultimate tribute to the Small Faces

Kids Acting Up theatre workshops Saturday workshops during school term-timesThree age groups: 7-10 (10-11am, £5), 11-14 (11am-12.30pm, £7) and 15-18 (12.30-2pm, £7) Workshops are for all abilities and involve acting, singing, dancing and all aspects of theatre including puppetry, prop and scenery building, play writing, directing and more.Call the Prince of Wales box offi ce 01543 578762 www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/princeofwales

Park Fest

Saturday 28th August -

10am to 6pm, Cannock Park

FREE event as part of our

Respect project - lots of

activities for all the family

Chase It!The summer Chase It! activity booklet for young people will be available soon. It will be packed with fun days out to local attractions, activity camps at Rugeley and Chase leisure centres, lots of free sporting events and much more. Keep an eye on www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk for more details.

In March we sent out the fi rst edition of Chase Matters Extra, our new electronic magazine that we drop into your inbox rather than your letterbox!

The e-magazine means we’re able to keep you even more up to date with news, events and activities across the Cannock Chase area.Everyone who registers for Chase Matters Extra by Friday 18th June will be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to this summer’s Cannock Chase concerts at the Birches Valley Forest Centre near Rugeley. If you’ve already signed up, we’ll automatically enter you into the competition.

Congratulations to the winners of our Sleeping Beauty competition (Chase Matters Winter 2009) - Sue Jeffries from Norton Canes, Colin Pheasant from Hednesford and Mrs D Betteridge from Cannock.The winners will be the fi rst two entries drawn at random. The closing date for entries is Friday 18th June 2010. No cash alternative to prize. The winners will be notifi ed by telephone. Cannock Chase Council will hold and use your data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. We will use the information to send you Chase Matters Extra by email. Your personal information will not be passed on for commercial use. This competition is not open to employees and Members of Cannock Chase Council.

This newspaper can also be provided in braille, on audio cassette tape/disk, in large print and in other languages on request to Cannock Chase Council on 01543 462621.

Win Simply Red and Keane tickets!In MEExtryyou

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Cannock Chase Council, Civic Centre, Beecroft Road, Cannock WS11 1BGTel: 01543 462621 | Fax: 01543 462317 | Email: customerservices@cannockchasedc.gov.uk

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On Friday 25th June, Simply Red will be holding back the years under the stars. On Saturday 26th June it’s the turn of Keane. Both concerts are sell-outs but we’ve managed to get a pair of tickets to each show for lucky Chase Matters readers!To register for Chase Matters Extra and to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, simply email us your name, age and a daytime phone number to communications@cannockchasedc.gov.uk - and don’t forget to include which concert you’d like to see!

When you have fi nished with this newsletter please recycle. This magazine has been printed on paper from sustainable forests.